Professors Asthana and Agarwal collaborated with academic colleagues, local authorities and others ranging from GPs to harbour masters to develop a clearer understanding of the challenges facing coastal communities.

Their analysis shows that following half a century of decline, Britain’s traditional coastal communities remain markedly disadvantaged compared to their inland counterparts in terms of educational attainment, health outcomes and poverty.

The communities’ ability to address these and other factors is in turn being hampered by inadequate infrastructure, underfunded schools, and heightened risks from floods and coastal erosion.

To counter this, the report includes 28 recommendations designed to begin addressing some of these challenges, while empowering, protecting, connecting and investing in ports and coastal communities to reposition them as engines of creativity and growth.

The Key Cities network comprises representatives from communities including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Cumberland, Hull, Lancaster, Medway, Newport, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, and Sunderland.

Its latest report was launched during an event arranged by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Key Cities, which was attended by Professor Asthana, Professor Agarwal and a number of other Plymouth academics.